MO-Antlertips
Member
Was fortunate enough to get back out, this time in Kansas...the Lord continues to bless me!
No one to hunt with, as a couple of my hunting buddies had to work this morning. Two major issues this morning, wind and more wind!
I decided to set up on the south slope of a large bluff and was fortunate to get down out of the wind...somewhat. Sneaking down a road in the timber in the dark, I heard a single soft tree yelp from a hen at about 50-75ish yards. My watch said 0612.
I started to unload all my stuff; blind, stool, bow, DSD's, etc. Moments later I had about 5 or 6 birds gobbling around 75-100 yards straight west of me. I chose not to call, wanting the birds to fly down before I let them know I was there. Sometime around 0650ish, they started pitching down, flying south, across a large creek into a large bottom field. This is NEVER good...
Somewhat bummed out, I sat and decided to be patient, thinking other birds might be in the timber with me. Hens yelping, gobblers hammering, all on the wrong side of the creek from my set up. Moments pass. I drink a cup of coffee from my thermos, eat a snack, and wait...
Yelp, yelp, yelp....Inside the timber! Yippeee! There are birds on my side still in the timber. I call kinda loud with a box call and get an immediate response from a gobbler. We play cat and mouse and as I listen to him, I think he is getting closer. Then, silence.
Well, I've played this game before and I decided to give him a good 'ol case of the "I'm through calling, come find ME!" After a couple of minutes, I peek out of the corner of the DB Darkhorse, and at 20 yards, there he is!
And once more he tests my patience. He displays, stands, displays, stands, etc. for something like 10-15 minutes. Seriously. I'm like, I think I can kill him at 20 yards, but why isn't he committing to the DSD jake and hen that are in the road and obviously in his view?
So, windy, and quiet, I watch this turkey wear himself out (and me too!) as he displays repeatedly, but not taking one step in my direction. I decide to get out my digital camera and shoot a few pics of him. I have decided I will kill him inside of ten yards or he walks. I'm pretty confident at 20 yards, but I know it's pretty much a slam dunk at 10 yards or less.
Finally, my repeated "Please Lord!" muttered under my breath worked! This bird went in full display and started to march towards the DSD hen and half-strut jake. 20, 18, 15, 10....bow is drawn, 8, 5, and at about 4 yards I put the top pin on the strutter right above the left wing where it joins the neck. Whack!
The bird immediately acts kinda weird, and I'm slightly confused by his reaction. He runs three or four steps, lays down, kicks a few times, and breathes his last breath of Kansas air! Sweeeeeet! It was a very quick and humane harvest. My watch reads 0755...
So, being by myself, I call the landowner who very graciously meets me behind his house in the timber to take some harvest pictures AND he helps me carry stuff out!
I did move my blind and staked it down well across the creek into the field where the earlier birds pitched down. I still have one Kansas tag left to fill before Missouri opens on 04-18.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/61367975@N03/
MO
No one to hunt with, as a couple of my hunting buddies had to work this morning. Two major issues this morning, wind and more wind!
I decided to set up on the south slope of a large bluff and was fortunate to get down out of the wind...somewhat. Sneaking down a road in the timber in the dark, I heard a single soft tree yelp from a hen at about 50-75ish yards. My watch said 0612.
I started to unload all my stuff; blind, stool, bow, DSD's, etc. Moments later I had about 5 or 6 birds gobbling around 75-100 yards straight west of me. I chose not to call, wanting the birds to fly down before I let them know I was there. Sometime around 0650ish, they started pitching down, flying south, across a large creek into a large bottom field. This is NEVER good...
Somewhat bummed out, I sat and decided to be patient, thinking other birds might be in the timber with me. Hens yelping, gobblers hammering, all on the wrong side of the creek from my set up. Moments pass. I drink a cup of coffee from my thermos, eat a snack, and wait...
Yelp, yelp, yelp....Inside the timber! Yippeee! There are birds on my side still in the timber. I call kinda loud with a box call and get an immediate response from a gobbler. We play cat and mouse and as I listen to him, I think he is getting closer. Then, silence.
Well, I've played this game before and I decided to give him a good 'ol case of the "I'm through calling, come find ME!" After a couple of minutes, I peek out of the corner of the DB Darkhorse, and at 20 yards, there he is!
And once more he tests my patience. He displays, stands, displays, stands, etc. for something like 10-15 minutes. Seriously. I'm like, I think I can kill him at 20 yards, but why isn't he committing to the DSD jake and hen that are in the road and obviously in his view?
So, windy, and quiet, I watch this turkey wear himself out (and me too!) as he displays repeatedly, but not taking one step in my direction. I decide to get out my digital camera and shoot a few pics of him. I have decided I will kill him inside of ten yards or he walks. I'm pretty confident at 20 yards, but I know it's pretty much a slam dunk at 10 yards or less.
Finally, my repeated "Please Lord!" muttered under my breath worked! This bird went in full display and started to march towards the DSD hen and half-strut jake. 20, 18, 15, 10....bow is drawn, 8, 5, and at about 4 yards I put the top pin on the strutter right above the left wing where it joins the neck. Whack!
The bird immediately acts kinda weird, and I'm slightly confused by his reaction. He runs three or four steps, lays down, kicks a few times, and breathes his last breath of Kansas air! Sweeeeeet! It was a very quick and humane harvest. My watch reads 0755...
So, being by myself, I call the landowner who very graciously meets me behind his house in the timber to take some harvest pictures AND he helps me carry stuff out!
I did move my blind and staked it down well across the creek into the field where the earlier birds pitched down. I still have one Kansas tag left to fill before Missouri opens on 04-18.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/61367975@N03/
MO
